Word & Character Counter & Read-time Estimator

Q: How is reading time calculated?

It divides your word count by the selected reading speed in words per minute to get minutes, then converts to a minutes-and-seconds display.

How to Use

Input: Paste or type your text into the main editor.

Filters: Use the toggles to include/exclude numbers and punctuation from counts.

Speed: Adjust reading speed to see how long your content takes to consume for different audiences.

Insights: Check the "Deep Data" and "Top Letters" charts below for detailed text analysis.

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This tool is free to use

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Word & Character Counter

Count Numbers Count Punctuation

Reading Speed:

0Words

0Characters

0sEst. Time

Deep Data

Total Spaces: 0
Total Numbers: 0
Top Word: -
Sentences: 0

Top Letters

What does the Word & Character Counter do?

This tool counts words and characters in real time as you type or paste text, and estimates reading time at four different speeds — from a fast skim to a slow, careful read. Beyond the basics, it breaks down "Deep Data" (spaces, numbers, sentence count, most-used word) and shows a Top Letters chart visualising the five most frequent letters in your text.

Toggle whether numbers and punctuation count towards your totals — useful when you need a strict word count for a platform with specific rules, versus a looser count that includes everything you've typed. Everything updates instantly and runs locally; nothing you type is ever sent anywhere.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Word & Character Counter free to use?

Yes, completely free with no account or usage limit.

Is my text uploaded anywhere?

No. Every count and calculation happens locally in your browser using plain JavaScript — nothing is sent to a server.

How is reading time calculated?

It divides your word count by the selected reading speed (in words per minute) to get minutes, then converts to a minutes-and-seconds display. Choose from Skim (450 WPM), Fast (300 WPM), Average (200 WPM), or Slow (125 WPM) depending on your audience.

Does character count include spaces?

No — the character count shown excludes spaces by default, giving you the count of actual visible characters in your text.

What do the Deep Data and Top Letters sections show?

Deep Data shows total spaces, total numbers, your most frequently used word, and a sentence count. Top Letters is a pie chart of the five most common letters in your text (case-insensitive, letters only), useful as a quick sanity check on repetition or keyword density.